Thanks to You
by Chibikawa
Summary: Guntz reminisces on the time he met Klonoa to the time they parted. Rated T for language, mostly. Oneshot. A mixed DCT, Beach Volleyball, Heroes universe. Only GK if you want to look at it that way. Don't look for slashy goodness.


**Disclaimer:** This one does not own Klonoa. Please stop asking.

* * *

**Thanks to You**

We sure got off to a bad start. Boy, is that an understatement…

I don't know what it was about you that made me want to target you like a fox on a rabbit. Maybe it was your simplemindedness, or your constant optimism. Maybe it was your friends. You seemed to get along with them so well. That was something I was never good at. Not that I ever really tried.

Whatever it was, I immediately made an enemy out of you. I mocked you and your friends. But it never seemed to waver you as much as I had planned. You were too busy trying your best with that stupid tournament. Another thing I wasn't good at. Why try your best when you can cheat?

That's when I finally got your attention. Naturally you were quite dependent on your friends. The moment I harmed them you were all over me like an angry cop. That's the first and only time I ever saw you so pissed off. You were right, though. I was being an idiot by making a deal with Garlen. Apparently the tournament wasn't interesting enough for him. If I spiced things up a bit, he'd ensure I win the prize money.

But I underestimated your abilities. I guess with your friends in mind you were even stronger than before. Like some stupid TV show… My plan backfired. Despite it all, you still seemed alarmed when those annoying yellow robots—nagapupu-whatever—grabbed me. As much as I hated helping others, I knew you were the only chance of me getting out of this still human.

I never depended on others. It was an oath I'd made long ago. I only trusted myself. No one can be relied on. "Trust turns to betrayal as love turns to hurt." I learned that the hard way. But, hell, anything is better than being turned into a damned gear by a damned fat bastard.

Turns out my decision worked well, as much as I doubted you. You wound up saving everyone and putting that ball-shaped robo-freak behind bars. But I was out of there as soon as I got my hands on the money. I _hate_ cops! But I gave you a little farewell present, I suppose…

No. It was payback. I gave you the trophy for saving me. Now we're even. At least now there were no chances of you coming after me. A guy like you made me pissed off just to look at. I hoped I'd never see you again. But, as usual, my hopes were unheard. You seemed quite surprised to see me at that beach volleyball competition. And working for Garlen again, no less.

"Does he ever learn his lesson?" I'll bet you were thinking. Apparently not. He persuaded me with money, my main weakness. I didn't even bother asking how he had gotten out of jail so soon. I knew it was a bad idea. But… so much money…

I learned that day forward that I can't play volleyball. What a waste of time. Garlen was pissed off, as expected. But, hey, I'm an assassin, not an athlete. His boss was even more enraged. He was quite intimidating, I admit. But I barely got a good at him before I skedaddled out of there.

It was quite a while after that until I met you again. I didn't even know you were there when I was using those Moos as target practice. You were lucky I didn't shoot you by accident. Actually, I might've on purpose out of frustration if I wasn't so worn out from running from cops as it was.

Why did we keep meeting up like this? Was it fate…? What _is_ fate, anyway? Nothing I've ever experienced before… Anyway, I was sick and tired of seeing you by now. For once I'd thought I'd gotten rid of you forever.

Now I was at risk of you calling the police on me… But that never happened. Actually, you seemed quite delighted to see me, something I wasn't used to. People usually grimace when they see me walking by, not smile. When I asked you why you were so optimistic about seeing a former enemy, you simply replied, "We're not enemies anymore, so we don't have to hate each other."

It was so stupid, yet it hit me deep. I didn't like that feeling, I wasn't used to it. I tried to sway it off by swiftly snatching that object you so delicately held in your hands. It was a flower… Hah, I made you mad again. I seemed to be the only one able to do that so easily. Out of amusement I decided to challenge you. Let's see how strong you really are.

But that was another plan gone wrong. I kept underestimating you. Well, who didn't? You were a friggin cat/rabbit hybrid. Two "fluffy, adorable" races in one. And you were young, no less. But somehow you still outsmarted me. You let your guard down, expecting me to return the flower.

But I don't play by the rules. That's when I took you out. Then you kept going on and on about how dishonorable I was being. Like I cared. You were getting on my nerves more than usual. But you demanded a rematch as I started to leave. Humoring it a bit, I decided to give you another chance. I included money of course, so at least now it benefited me. Not only that, but I needed to see just what the hell I was doing wrong that I couldn't beat you.

I made a mistake in giving you time to prepare yourself. How does a guy become stronger within a few hours? I've yet to see what makes you so much stronger than me. Maybe it is your dependence in your friends… Whatever. By then I was tired and discouraged. I, for once, admitted defeat and returned your stupid flower. This wasn't fun anymore…

And yet there you went, pointing out a compliment first thing. Why didn't I crush that flower when I had the chance? A life was in it. A tiny one, but I wasn't in the mood for killing at the moment… even if it was just a butterfly. Even bounty hunters get tired of killing every now and then.

I had accidentally dropped my Hero Medal while fighting you. You didn't notice until I picked it up again. Wow… how your face suddenly lit up. Like a lamp… You suddenly acted as if I were an idol. Though it'd be a lie to say I wasn't "famous." But I certainly wasn't a _hero_. This stupid coin wasn't even mine.

A bell suddenly interrupted your fan-spasm and you were out of there before I knew it. I was suddenly reminded of something someone had told me earlier that week. A fellow bounty hunter, though we're hardly _fellow_, gave me a "tip" to easy street.

"Pick up a 'partner' and use them for your own convenience," he said. Anyone would do. Just some lowly stranger, young and stupid preferably. You could use them to do your dirty work, as bait, as a shield, anything. It was so low, but such a good idea. When the person stopped listening to you willingly, threaten them. When that stopped working, kill them. Apparently this guy had gone through ten "partners" already.

I thought it was stupid at the time. I work alone. Why the hell would I want an idiot following me? But maybe this was my chance to try it out.

Later on that day I actually went looking for you. I had already planned out how to convince you to be my "partner." You wanted to become a hero, obviously. There was no way you'd get stronger in this simple town. Traveling would help spawn your abilities. I didn't give you time to think about it then and left in a flash with my objective complete.

For once, when I saw you the next day, I didn't feel distaste or exasperation. I felt my old cruel amusement coming back. _Finally_. I'd felt so weird the past day that I was afraid I'd never get my natural sick slyness back.

I wasn't finding you of any use, though. You were more a nuisance than a convenience. Especially when I was forced to admit another weakness of mine after you claimed you couldn't swim. You were exceptionally annoying when we met those fish. It would've been so easy to just shoot that monster down right then.

But _no_. You had to be a hero and find a different, more troublesome way to solve the problem. And because of it we never got any reward money! I was on the verge of just snapping at you and tossing you into the water to drown. But I managed to restrain myself. One more try…

Good thing I didn't dump you. You made the best bait a guy could ask for in those ruins. Especially when it took you so long to figure out that I'd betrayed you. But finding that maniacal cat there wasn't part of the plan. Things when from humorously amusing to critically serious. That bastard was my meaning in living. To see to his death was my sole purpose.

But I got distracted. Janga tricked me into a trap, where you already were. That son of a bitch didn't even recognize me! I was so frustrated I couldn't speak. Your nagging wasn't making the situation any better. But snapping at you finally got you to shut up. You were like at kid at that, thank goodness. A good scolding leaves you quiet in the corner.

I admit, we were lucky that man, Pango, coincidentally saved us from that chamber. _Coincidentally._ Not luckily. I don't believe in luck. You kept asking about my seemingly newfound ambition. Truthfully it's an ambition I've had for over ten years. I wouldn't speak of it, though. A few times I forgot you were even there. Janga was the only thing that mattered now.

And just when I had him in my aim… I was ready to blow his brains out… I was finally going to fulfill my purpose and get revenge… You got in the way. He used you as a shield. Why I didn't shoot you anyway, I don't know. I'd wished I had when he got away. I didn't even hear your apology over the hot teakettle steaming in my head.

With a sharp insult I left you. I didn't even bother to see if you were following me. I figured my ridicule was enough of a hint to tell you I didn't want you around anymore.

And yet…

Despite the abuse, the insults, and the cruel way I treated you, you were still delighted to see me again in Volk. How fate loved to make us literally run into each other. But I didn't understand; I still don't. What makes you so happy, so optimistic about everything that happens?

Why weren't you mad at me? Why didn't you abandon me like I abandoned you? Maybe you saw it… Maybe you saw my hidden, silent cries for help. Maybe you realized how destroyed and mauled I was inside. How I was standing on my last leg, my only ambition keeping me from completely breaking down forever. Maybe you wanted to be my friend.

"Friend." That was the word you had used back in the ruins. How speechless it had made me, only adding to my frustration.

Maybe I was exhausted, fatigue drowning my train of thought. Maybe I was delusional from the recent wound Janga had inflicted upon me. But somehow your stupid "if we lose we don't win" speech had gotten the better of me. It was so stupid, so simple, so optimistic… yet somehow so convincing.

Before I knew it I was caught up in all these problems with "nightmares" and "sleeping sicknesses." All I wanted to do was kill Janga. Well, apparently he was part of this issue. I had no choice but to go with it. It was my only way to get to him. I could barely believe it when I was finally face to face with that bastard.

The climax of my life had finally come. The day I killed Janga. I should've been exuberant, but somehow my enthusiasm had gotten away from me. Like a bird let free of a cage it flew away, never to return. Why did I no longer feel that it was necessary to end Janga's life? This man had ruined mine. What was holding me back?

Then I knew it. It was you. Your stupid optimistic, selfless attitude was contagious! It was all over me like a disease. My lust to kill was gone, along with it my lifelong ambition. I couldn't believe what I was doing. I was letting him go. This man that had taken away everything precious to me. I was going to let him live.

Little did I know that he was just as slow a learner as I am. He wasn't finished with making my life miserable, even after being clearly defeated. He was aiming for me, a death strike perfectly aimed to end my life in a second. But, as fate had it, we ran into each other again. I fell safely out of the way and you took the blow.

It made me angrier than I thought it would. I suddenly understood why harming your friends had made you so strong. I was bursting with energy from frustration and concern. If Janga had become the strength of ten men I would've been able to take him out. But he was already dying. He was defeated before he had struck you. But his last, desperate attempt to kill once more had made him pleased. With a cruel laugh of insane satisfaction, he fell to his death.

With Janga finally out of the picture my anger dissipated, leaving only concern. Since when did I care if someone lived or died? Since when did I care for another's welfare? Since when was I afraid I'd lose something close to me? Since my dad was killed, that's when. That was the last time I had cared so much; the last time I had been so scared until now.

I suddenly didn't know what to do with myself. As you lay in the infirmary, possibly dying, I thought about what I'd do if you'd died. I didn't know. I was at a loss for the first time in ten years. For the first time nothing was planned. Nothing was expected. I didn't know what was going to happen to me.

That's when I realized that I had gotten too close to you. Something I had promised myself I would never do. I had become dependent on you. I had started to rely on your positive thinking and constant smiling to get me through tough times. Whether you were bluffing or not, you were always so convincing.

I needed you.

But when you finally woke up, ironically soon after Pango reluctantly admitted that we might need to continue this quest without you, I had to restrain my relief with a lie. Somehow, though, I think you saw right through it. Like always you read me like an open, large print book. That was a little frustrating, but I grew used to it over time. It was actually convenient to me sometimes when I was too proud to admit how I felt about certain things.

None of the rest of the journey was as hard as seeing you selflessly try to sacrifice yourself for me. We managed to defeat Garlen(who was yet again up to no good) and that Nahatomb monster. We even got back your friend safely, who had obviously been your main aspiration throughout the adventure.

We returned to Lunatea and all was peaceful again. Pango left to see to his son, who had been his aspiration for the quest. You were overjoyed about returning to your town and seeing your friends ago. But what about me? My lust to spill blood had been driven by my hate for Janga, for life. But suddenly things didn't seem so bad anymore. I didn't want to go back to the way things were before I met you.

I knew it'd be hard to let go of the past. I'd committed sins that were probably impossible to condemn to. But I was willing to try. You, as usual, must've noticed my hesitation. But instead of getting straight to the point, you asked what I planned to do now. I told the truth. I didn't know. I had nothing planned.

I was tired of being a bounty hunter. It was an experience, but not one that made me the least bit happy. I wanted to start over. Maybe I could make some use of my life? Maybe it'd be better if my future was unplanned, unlike how it had been when I was a bounty hunter. So, with that common knowing smile you made that confused me so much, you proposed I go to your town with you.

It was a little hard. Meeting people without planning to spy on them so I can later kill them. Making friends. Getting used to this kindness that was so rich here yet so limited in the rest of the world. But the next few years of my life weren't so bad. I could finally live like a normal person. Though my past still haunted me—it still does.

But then that fateful, inevitable day came. I knew it'd happen like this. The good always die young. Naturally you couldn't die from illness or old age, like a normal person. You were destined to die saving someone. You were always the hero. Clearly it'd come back to get you eventually.

It's sad, and frustrating. In this world, heroes don't last long. And they don't reproduce quickly, either. It'll be a while until another hero like you comes along. Until then I guess they'll have to cope with me, only a fraction of what you were. But I'll try.

It's thanks to you that I've been able to start a new life. That I've been given another chance. This is the least I can do to repay you. You made me stronger. You gave me the faith no one else dared to. It's hard, but now I'm able to repent for the mistakes I've made. Thanks to your boost I can move on my own now.

It's thanks to you, Klonoa. I'll take it from here.

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What am I doing? This is Solitary Shadow's thing. Well… she can't hog all the fun for herself. Actually, I was planning on making this with a kinda depressing ending, but… meh… I changed my mind. 

Note how I deliberately failed to mention how Klonoa died. Not for Guntz, though. Probably for some stranger in some random, unfortunate incident…

Solitary Shadow was right. Narrating Guntz is fun!


End file.
